Legislators Want To Ban Companion Animal Consumption In The U.S.

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
Legislators are adding an amendment to a farm bill that will ban people from purposely killing dogs or cats for human consumption.


While the 2018 Winter Olympics brought more awareness to the horror of dog meat consumption, it is often thought that those are issues we don’t face in the United States.


But the House Agriculture Committee recently approved a farm bill and legislators added an amendment that will ban people from purposely killing dogs or cats for human consumption. The ban will also apply to transporting or participating in other commercial activity that is related to humans consuming companion animal meat.


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It is rare that dogs and cats are slaughtered in the United States, and it is already illegal to kill companion animals for consumption. That said, in some groups in the United States, the consumption of dogs and cats as meals does take place, and legislators want that practice ended.


There are some states that already ban the butchering of companion animals for consumption (New York, New Jersey and California), but legislators in D.C. want federal guidelines in place to protect companion animals.


On a worldwide scale, the Humane Society of the United States has been advocating for bans against dog and cat slaughter for food, and President Kitty Block believes the amendment to the farm bill will go a long way in advancing the bans they are looking for. Representative Jeff Denham introduced the amendment, and it is similar to one introduced by Representative Alcee Hastings. Hastings’ bill has 239 co-sponsors.


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The farm bill approved by the House Agriculture panel cost $867 billion and will reauthorize every U.S. Department of Agriculture program, which includes the farm subsidies and food stamps programs. Existing program laws begin expiring September 30, so legislators need a new law due by September 30. The Senate Agriculture Committee has not considered a proposal yet, but the House bill has such support, it’s thought to be unlikely it won’t be approved.


If so, those who consume dog or cat meat will face a fine and/or up to a year of imprisonment.

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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